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Oleksandr Usyk says he is genuinely concerned for Jake Paul ahead of Anthony Joshua fight

Originally posted on HITC | By Donagh Corby | Last updated Dec 3, 2025 10:05 AM ET

Oleksandr Usyk has his eye on a fight with Jake Paul, but any hopes of that happening depend on Paul making it through his next bout.

Usyk, the former undisputed heavyweight champion, even squared up with Paul recently in hopes of building some momentum for an MMA fight. Now though, Paul finds himself booked against Anthony Joshua – a matchup that’s raised plenty of eyebrows due to the gulf between them.

And Usyk is already worried there may not be much left of Paul after December 19. There’s a staggering 52lb difference between their last recorded fight weights, and Joshua also has a five-inch height advantage over the American.

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Oleksandr Usyk has concerns for Jake Paul ahead of Anthony Joshua fight

Having moved up from cruiserweight to heavyweight himself, Oleksandr Usyk knows exactly what it means to step in with a much bigger opponent. He’s gone 24 rounds with Anthony Joshua across two fights and has never been beaten.

Usyk managed to become undisputed champion twice at heavyweight, despite always giving up size. Paul, though, is a very different case. The Ukrainian was considered by many as one of the greatest cruiserweights ever before moving up and finding similar success at heavyweight.

“If Anthony Joshua wants, he will kill this guy,” Usyk warned Boxing Scene. “Listen, a lot of questions, blah, blah, blah… Anthony Joshua is an Olympic champion, first. Jake Paul, yeah a sportsman, a YouTuber, a showman.

“Joshua is Rolls Royce; Jake is a Fiat. Listen, it’s true. It’s just true… Yes, I will pray [for] Jake Paul,” Usyk said. “Because I want to fight with Jake Paul in the octagon.”

Before turning professional in 2020 – when Joshua had already been unified champion twice – Paul had only fought once in an amateur white-collar bout. By that time, Joshua was already an Olympic gold medalist.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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